00:00This is Isaac Espinoza, a highly decorated officer.
00:04In August 2004, Espinoza was finishing his shift, probably thinking of the holidays just around the corner.
00:11But he was shot and killed by an ex-convict named David Hill.
00:16Grim, right? That's the harsh reality some officers have to face.
00:20One day you could be handling boring traffic stops, the other day you could be finding yourself in a high-speed chase or worse.
00:30But here's where it gets controversial.
00:32San Francisco's then-District Attorney Kamala Harris, yes, the same Harris running for presidency, did not pursue the death penalty.
00:41You can imagine the public outrage and controversy from the community.
00:47Now why wouldn't she opt for the death penalty?
00:50This case encapsulates Harris' philosophy on criminal justice that would follow her all the way to the national stage.
01:01Well, for starters, she believed that the death penalty was a troubled system which disproportionately affected people.
01:09With this move, she made a bold statement.
01:12But with every bold statement, there comes consequences.
01:16This wasn't only a legal decision.
01:19This was a political move that ringed throughout her whole career all the way to the national stage.
01:28Many mixed decisions with people agree.
01:31Some people think she betrayed the entire police community while others think she made a great decision.
01:38But let's rewind for a second.
01:40Espinosa wasn't any regular officer.
01:42He was a highly respected role model that many of the youth looked up to.
01:47He had a track record of keeping the streets safe and guiding many troubled people out of poverty cycle.
01:53On that day, he was probably not thinking about the end of his life.
01:57Probably what's the next step in his journey.
02:00His killer, David Hill, was quite the opposite.
02:03He was born into poverty where substance abuse was right around the corner.
02:08By the time he was only 20 years old, he had a long list of crimes.
02:13He was the kind of guy who was in and out of jail and government programs.
02:17Sadly, he had to gun down officer Espinosa.
02:26Now let's dig deeper into the legal aspects of this case.
02:30You see, cases like this, especially ones involving a police killing, have huge controversies that follow.
02:37And usually, the death penalty is seen as the right way to go.
02:41The death penalty is the harshest level of punishment in the criminal justice system in the US,
02:46but it sends a message.
02:48If you kill a cop, you have to pay the consequences.
02:53But again, why didn't Kamala Harris opt for the death penalty?
02:58You see, she believes that pampering criminals can be an effective way to bring down the crime rate.
03:04You may ask, how would cuddling criminals even help the crime rate?
03:09Wouldn't that just make criminals entitled?
03:12Kamala thinks that if we can give criminals a little help and guidance,
03:15we could help them live a better life outside jail.
03:23So of course, her actions caused a wave of public outcry.
03:27She knew there would be a lot of consequences in her decision.
03:30She'd be taking a stand which would be unpopular with the law enforcement and civilian community.
03:36Espinosa's family was devastated and the whole law enforcement community felt betrayed by Kamala's action.
03:44Many took to early social media to spread their concerns about the case.
03:48San Francisco was at a time a city which grappled with issues of crime and justice.
03:55Moving on to the public outcry, it wasn't just about the death penalty.
04:00It was also about the principles that came along.
04:03Her decision was seen as a slap in the face to the very people who risked their lives everyday to keep the streets clean.
04:10Hill was a cop killer.
04:12Many people thought the death penalty was the right way to go.
04:15Keep in mind, this wasn't just a legal decision.
04:18For her, it was a calculated political move.
04:21In her perspective, she was positioning herself as a reformer.
04:25Someone who wants to make changes the right way.
04:28Someone who wasn't scared of making the right decisions even with any public outcry attached.
04:35After all, in the long run, this move would pay off as she would go on to climb the ranks of political hierarchy.
04:42Finally, as the case settled into place, the impact this decision Kamala made became even more substantial.
04:49Her choice of not only going for the death penalty sparked widespread controversy.
04:55Kamala Harris' decision to some was seen as necessary reform.
04:59Reflecting the commitment that people can change.
05:02They argued that the death penalty was a broken system that needed many reforms and adjustments.
05:08And it wouldn't be the best option in this scenario.
05:11On the other hand, from the others who felt betrayed from Kamala's decision, there was a significant backlash from them.
05:19They thought her decision undervalued the life of police officers.
05:24And that she set aside the gravitas of the crime.
05:28Many felt Kamala's decision was now following the traditional death penalty set for crimes related to the death of cops.
05:36All in all, Kamala's decision was complex with a lot of controversy and division.
05:41But it highlighted the tension between progressive and traditional reforms when it comes to the law and criminal justice.
05:49While the decision she made agreed with some necessary steps to reform.
05:53It was also met with the harshest reactions from others who viewed it as a big error on her part.
06:02Let's talk about what happened after this case.
06:05You see, this was a strategic move that worked in the long run.
06:09A really bold one.
06:10She would stick to her policies, never succumb to peer pressure and keep fighting.
06:15This was a calculated political move that again would ring throughout her whole career.
06:22She knew the stakes, it was her against the community.
06:26As a judge, she had a major impact on the San Francisco community and the police system.
06:32This bold move could place a bad image on her.
06:36But the plot twist, it didn't.
06:39This was a major stepping stone for her career.
06:42You heard that right, major stepping stone.
06:45This move did not destroy her career.
06:48In fact, it propelled it into higher heights.
06:52This was a very bold move on her side.
06:54The risks were huge, but what's Kamala's signature?
06:57The long game.
06:59This value was added into her resume.
07:01Her willingness to take risks, challenges and continue on.
07:05This case was so controversial that people are still talking about it to this day.
07:10Imagine 2008, that was 16 years ago.
07:14But this bold of a move comes with consequences.
07:18She made real enemies within the police community.
07:22This worked.
07:23Let me ask you, if you think about Kamala Harris, what would you think?
07:27Of course, progressiveness and boldness.
07:31This case became an anchor for her career.
07:34For people to look back at and remember that Kamala sticks to her policies.
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